Comfort Inn

Comfort Inn is a midscale hotel brand within Choice Hotels International, Inc. Stewart W. Bainum Sr. founded Quality Courts United, Inc. in 1939 as a nonprofit referral network of seven Florida motels. Its headquarters moved from Rockville, Maryland, to North Bethesda, Maryland, in 2023. Quality Inns International launched Comfort in 1981 as an economy option, and the first property opened in July 1981 after converting an independent motel in Atlanta, Georgia. Comfort was repositioned as an upper midscale brand in the early 2010s. A transformation that began in 2012 removed franchising rights from 600 properties that did not meet updated standards. Choice Hotels and its franchisees invested $2.5 billion, bringing Comfort Inn, Comfort Inn & Suites, and Comfort Suites under one identity in 2018. By March 2019, more than 700 hotels had adopted the updated design and operating standards, and more than 170 had installed new signs. Choice Hotels had nearly 7,500 hotels and approximately 630,000 rooms in 46 countries and territories as of September 30, 2023. By the end of 2024, those totals reached nearly 7,600 hotels and over 650,000 rooms in the same 46 countries and territories. Comfort had nearly 2,500 units open or in development worldwide, including 2,159 locations as of December 31, 2024. The United States had 1,664 Comfort Inn franchises, with notable concentrations in Virginia, Michigan, and North Carolina.

Hotels and motels serve business travelers, leisure travelers, and transient guests, giving the midscale category several sources of demand. Comfort reported its strongest development pipeline in history in 2017, with 56 openings projected for that year. In 2019, more than 60 Comfort hotels were expected to open, with nearly 300 hotels in the pipeline and 80% planned as new construction. Patrick Pacious became President and Chief Executive Officer of Choice Hotels International, Inc. in 2017, succeeding Stephen Joyce. Pacious joined Choice in 2005 and had previously served as President and Chief Operating Officer. During his leadership, Choice acquired the Radisson Hotels Americas brands in 2022 and WoodSpring Suites in 2018, and launched Everhome Suites in 2020. By the end of 2024, the company had nearly 7,600 hotels and over 650,000 rooms across 46 countries and territories. These figures place Comfort within a large and expanding hotel system, although buyers still need to assess local demand and property economics.

The initial affiliation fee is $500 per room, with a $50,000 minimum for a new franchise. Transfers and renewals have a $60,000 minimum affiliation fee. Applicants also pay a $5,000 application fee, which is nonrefundable but credited toward the initial affiliation fee after approval. General investment estimates for Comfort Inn range from $8,837,751 to $11,355,862. Other published estimates range from $307,125 to $1,967,495, $118,825 to $26,370,195, and $307,150 to $11,956,591, depending on the project. For an 86 room hotel, an existing hotel conversion is estimated at $312,250 to $2,241,099. New construction for Comfort Inn or Comfort Inn & Suites is estimated at $4,472,670 to $8,152,272, while new Comfort Suites construction is estimated at $5,027,342 to $9,145,231. These estimates include the franchise fee but generally exclude real estate acquisition costs and related taxes. Prospective franchisees typically need $1,000,000 to $5,000,000 in liquid capital and $1,000,000 to $10,000,000 in net worth. Other charges may include a $5,000 extension fee for a three month construction or renovation delay, property management system costs of $8,750 to $15,750, and a monthly support fee. Training charges include a $995 Re Licensing Training Fee for ownership changes of 50% or more, Orientation and Hospitality Training fees of $1,850, and HOST Training fees of $1,395. Additional attendees receive a 50% discount, capped at a maximum of $875.

Comfort Inn franchisees receive an initial two week training program at a dedicated training facility. Choice Hotels also provides Total Lodging by Choice, or TLC, orientation covering hotel operations, marketing, and use of Choice resources. Training includes Human Resources, Front Desk Management, Risk Management, Maintenance Operations, Housekeeping Operations, Financial Management, Sales and Marketing, Property Management Systems, Reservations Systems, and ChoiceCentral. Operational manuals provide continuing guidance. A New Hotel Opening specialist assists with sales and marketing activities and the initial push toward fair market share. Since 2018, the Comfort umbrella has included Comfort Inn, Comfort Inn & Suites, and Comfort Suites. The Comfort Inn designation uses a fully franchised model, with 1,664 United States franchises within the 2,159 Comfort locations worldwide as of December 31, 2024. Choice Hotels directs the system from its North Bethesda, Maryland headquarters. Specific multi unit ownership requirements are not detailed, but the training and support structure may fit experienced operators or management teams.

Public company results and system metrics offer broader context. Choice Hotels reported $1.4 billion in total revenue in 2022, up 31% from 2021. Adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization reached a company record of $478.6 million in 2022, a 19% increase over 2021. More than 60% of Comfort revenue comes through Choice Hotels owned or controlled marketing channels. The 2017 pipeline of 56 projected openings and the 2019 expectation of more than 60 openings, with nearly 300 hotels in the pipeline and 80% new construction, provide additional indicators of development activity, but they do not establish the results of an individual hotel.

Choice Hotels expanded from nearly 7,500 hotels and approximately 630,000 rooms in 46 countries and territories as of September 30, 2023, to nearly 7,600 hotels and over 650,000 rooms in those same markets by the end of 2024. Comfort had nearly 2,500 units open or in development worldwide and 2,159 locations as of December 31, 2024, including 1,664 United States franchises. The brand expanded into Europe, Asia Pacific, and Latin America during the 1990s and entered New Zealand in 2003. Choice Hotels acquired the Radisson Hotels Americas brands in 2022 and WoodSpring Suites in 2018, and launched Everhome Suites in 2020. Comfort's competitive position reflects its brand recognition, the $2.5 billion transformation investment, and its upper midscale positioning. More than 60% of revenue comes through Choice Hotels owned or controlled marketing channels. Choice Hotels was recognized by Disability:IN as one of the Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion and by the Human Rights Campaign as one of the Best Places to Work for LGBTQ Equality.

A typical Comfort Inn buyer is an experienced operator or multi unit investor with substantial financial capacity and strong management skills. Prior hotel management experience is not expressly required, but the two week training program and TLC orientation cover areas such as Human Resources, Financial Management, and Sales and Marketing. Required financial capacity generally includes $1,000,000 to $5,000,000 in liquid capital and $1,000,000 to $10,000,000 in net worth. Comfort has a notable presence in the Eastern and Midwestern United States, particularly Virginia, Michigan, and North Carolina, while the broader company operates in 46 countries and territories. The $5,000 fee for a three month construction or renovation delay indicates that development can extend over multiple months or years. The Loan Activity Score is 64 and is categorized as Moderate. A 50% or greater ownership change requires the $995 Re Licensing Training Fee. Buyers should be prepared for a substantial long term investment and active oversight of hotel operations.

PeerSense provides independent franchise research, including SBA lending history, the Loan Activity Score, location maps with Google ratings, FDD financial data, and side by side comparison tools. PeerSense is a commercial capital advisory firm that introduces franchise buyers to SBA and conventional lenders. It is not a lender. Buyers can use the full Comfort Inn franchise profile to compare the investment requirements, training, operating support, and available franchise data before deciding whether to pursue the opportunity.